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| The Serfs debut in Los Angeles |
Show Review
The Serfs in Los Angeles, CA.
February 26th, 2022
Well, it's been a pretty grim past decade for my record business. Making a business out of releasing independent bands is difficult/impossible, so keeping things on a hobby level if necessary is required if you are looking for some kind of long term survival. The grimness of my own experience releasing bombs for the past decade was tempered by the experience of my partner, who I started dating just in time to witness the rise of alt-country star Margo Price- it wasn't my business, but I was there to see it happen. And the world she lives in- which is the Music Industry proper, just made me laugh at myself and pretensions. It's really something to experience some kind of limited, local success in an area like independent music only to immediately be immersed in a world where people laugh at such experience and don't consider it success at all.
One of the cardinal live music experiences is seeing an artist for the first time before they have large audience for their music. I can remember a handful of such experiences- seeing Grimes open up for Prince Rama in the basement of Buddhist Temple in Toronto during North by Northeast before Visions came out. The first Best Coast show in San Diego at the Whistlestop- Bobb and Bethany were selling tapes out of a cardboard box in front and that tape stayed in my car for the best part of a decade. The first Dum Dum Girls show at the UCSD Che Center in San Diego. The Dirty Beaches show at the Whistle-stop before Badlands was released.
Anyway The Serfs- from Cincinnati- just put out their new record on Dream Recordings, and let me tell you, the sales are amazing. They are a genuine sales phenomenon. And I'm asking myself, leading up to this show, "But are they good live?" Because even though I've been working on putting this record out for over a year and a half, I've never seen them live. So I was nervous, but most of the nerves dissapated when I saw the crowd- which I believe was in excess of 150.... which- I mean- this band hasn't had NO press, but it's been close to no press. Like, there are no reviews posted for this record that they just out out. And they sold 150 tickets.
Part of that is the bill-mate, Aurat, who are local to Los Angeles and have their own vocal fans who turned out and stuck around after. But there is no denying that people showed up to see The Serfs, and boy did they deliver. I mean look, yeah, I'm biased, but I also don't through around compliments lightly- I haven't even written about music on a regular basis for the past decade. But here is my elevator pitch for The Serfs, "It will make you feel like you are watching Joy Division at the Factory on July 13th, 1979."
Now, let me answer some questions a bold statement like that will raise:
1. Are you saying The Serfs are as good as Joy Division: Possibly so.
2. Are you saying The Serfs sound like Joy Division: Obviously they are an influence but I would describe it as a pan-Factory Records sound, the musical DNA is exquisite and varied.
So if you are reading this and trying to decide whether you need to learn more about The Serfs, possibly listen to their music, possibly see a live show, the answer is yes, all of them- if you are reading this- in other words- if you find yourself here because you were LOOKING for information about this band, you need to pursue it yes you do because the live show is incredible.
Here are the upcoming live shows, all opening for VR SEX:
4/11 Austin - Hotel Vegas
4/12 Dallas - Cheap Steaks
4/13 Houston - Secret Group
4/14 New Orleans - Santos
4/15 Atlanta- The Earl
4/16 Nashville - The End
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